Coal-handling device



H. D. BARTLETT.

COAL HANDLING DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 21. 1921.

Patented J 111 25, 1922.

dz ieod eal I UNITED STATES HARRY D. BARTLETT, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

COAL-HANDLING DEVICE.

Application filed February 21, 1921.

To a]! whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY D. BARTLETT, acitizen of the United States ofAmerica, and a resident of Chicago, county of Cook, and State ofIllinois. have invented certain new and useful Improvements inCoaLHandling Devices. of which the following is a specification.

The main objects of this invention are to provide an apparatus forhandling coal for domestic use; to provide an improved form of hopper;to provide mechanism for vertically shifting the hopper in a supportingframe: to provide means for locking said mechanism to hold the hopper incertain elevated positions: to provide an improved form of follower forurging the coal along the bottom of the hopper toward the outletopening; to provide means for actuating said follower and simultaneouslycontrolling the passage of coal through said opening: and to providemeans for weighing the hopper and its contents.

An illustrative embodiment of this invention is shown in theaccompanying drawings, in which- Fi we 1 is a side elevation of thedevice showing the hopper in its elevated position.

Fig. 2 is a rear elevation.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary detail, partly in section, showing thechute and follower.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail showing the catch for holding the winch inits operative position.

In the form shown, the apparatus comprises a supporting frame 1 havingarranged, therein a hopper 2 which is vertically shift-- able by meansof a winch 3 whereby the hopper is elevated to a position where its contents may be readily discharged by gravity through the firing door of afurnace or other heating plant.

The frame 1 comprises a plurality of upright supporting members 4 in theform of angle irons providing guideways for the vertically shiftablehopper. Secured at the lower end of the frame. and disposed at rightangles. is an axle 5 and a bar 6 carryingrespectively supporting wheels7 and casters 8 which permit the apparatus to be conveniently trundledbetween the coal bin and the heating plant. Extending across the upperend of the frame is a brace 9 having suspended therefrom a centrallylocated weighing scale 10 which is provided with a Specification ofLetters Patent.

laten toil July 25, 1922.

Serial No. 446.560.

book 11 for engaging a bracket 12 extendmg across the top of the hopper,whereby the latter may be supported by the scale independently of thehoisting sling when it is desired to weigh the fuel.

The hoisting sling comprises a flexible cable 13 having one end securedto the upper end of the supporting frame at one side of the device. Therunning part of the sling is in sliding engagement with pulleys l4journaled at the lower end of the hopper and the other end of the cableis fastened to the winch 3. The winch is journaled in brackets 15 and 16mounted on the opposite side of the frame and is provided with a crank17 extending rearwardly and located within convenient reach of theoperator. The winch is longitudinally shiftable in its bearings and isheld in its outer or operative position. as shown in Figure 1, by anangle-shaped catch 18 which is pivotally connected to the bracket 16' soas to be adaptedto bear between the bracket and a pipe union 19 of thewinch. To secure the winch in its inoperative position for retaining theload in an elevated position a lug 20 is secured to one of the uprights4 and projects outwardly from the frame in position to engage the crank.

The hopper is formed with a bottom which is inclined downwardly andforwardly of the apparatus to form a chute 21 extending through anoutlet opening 22 formedin the front wall of the hopper.v The lower partofthe chute projects beyond the front wall of the hopper and is providedwith side walls 23. Mounted in the lower end of the chute is a hingedgate 24 which is shiftable to .controlthe passage of fuel through theprojecting section. The gate is provided with side flanges 25 so thatwhen the gate occupies its open position it forms a continuation of thechute.

Pivotallylmounted on a bracket 26 extending across the rear wall of thehopper is a lever construction which comprises a pair of levers 27connected at their upper ends by a handle 28. The lower ends of thelevers are connected to the side flanges 25 of the gate by links 29located one on each side of the hopper.

To assist the coal in its initial movement through the outlet opening. achannel-shaped follower 30 is slidably arranged in the chute andconnected to the flanges 25 by links 31 so as to be operated by the gatethrough the action of the lever 27. The upper edges of the side flangesof the follower slidably engage pins 32 extending inwardly from thelower walls of the hopper. Extending transversely across the bottom ofthe follower are ridges 33 which provide shoulders for pushing the coaltoward the outlet. A push rod 34 is slidably arranged in the chute abovethe bottom of the follower and extends through the rear wall of the hoper so that the rod may be shifted back an forth for agitating the coalwhen the gate is 0 en.

In operation, the apparatus is fille at the coal bin and when a supplyis needed for the heating plant the device is trundled to a positiondirectly in front of the firing door. The winch is then operated toelevate the hopper to the desired position soas to permit the lowersection of the chute to project into the fire box. To hold the hopper inits elevated position the catch 18 is lifted to permit the winch to beshifted forwardly in its bearing to bring the crank '17 in front of thelug 20. When the'winch occupies this position the weight of the hopperurges the crank into engagement with the adjacent upright member 4 whichsecures the handle against rotation. The lever 27 is then operated toshift the gate to its open position and the forward movement of the gatesimultaneously actuates the follower 30 to assist the fuel in itsinitial movement through the outlet. When the lever 27 is operated toclose the gate, the follower is shifted back to its normal position.. Ifit is desired to weigh the contents of the hopper, the Winch is operatedto elevate the hopper to the upper end of the supporting frame so as topermit the suspended hook of the scale to engage the bracket 12.

Although but one specific embodiment of this invention is herein shownand described it will be understood that numerous details of theconstruction shown may be altered or omitted without departing from thespirit of this invention as defined by the following claims.

I claim:

1. A device for handling coal comprising .a supporting frame having ahopper slidably mounted therein, mechanism carried by said frame forvertically shifting said hopper, the bottom of said hopper beinginclined to form a chute having an outlet at one side of said frame,'ahinged gate mounted in said outlet and arranged to form a continuationof said chute, means for shifting said gate into position to close saidoutlet, and a follower slidably arranged in said chute and connected tosaid gate so as to be actuated thereby.

2. A device for handling coal comprising a supporting frame having ahopper slidably mounted therein, mechanism carried by said frame forvertically shifting said hopper,

the bottom of said hopper being inclined to form a chute having anoutlet at one side of said frame, a hinged gate mounted in said outletand arranged to form a continuation of said chute, a lever pivotallymounted on said frame and connected to said gate for shifting said gateinto and out of position to close said outlet, a second chute arrangedwithin said first mentioned chute to form a follower, and a linkconnecting said follower and gate. I

3. A device for handling coal com rising a supporting frame having ahopper s idably mounted therein so as to be vertically shiftable, awinch carried by said frame, a sling supporting said hopper and havingsliding engagement therewith, one end of said sling being secured to theupper end of said frame, the other end of said sling being secured tosaid winch, the bottom of said hopper being inclined to form a chutehaving an outlet at one side of said frame a hinged gate mounted in saidoutlet and arranged to form a continuation of said chute, means forshifting said gate into and out of position to close said outlet, and afollower slidably arranged in said chute and connected to said gate soas to be actuated by said gate through the operation of said means.

4. A device for handling coal comprising a supporting frame having ahopper slidably mounted therein so as to be vertically shiftable, awinch journaled in brackets carried by said frame for operating saidhopper, a crank carried b said winch, said Winch being longitudinal Yshiftable in said brackets to bring said crank into engagement with saidsupporting frame for securing said Winch against rotation, the bottom ofsaid hopper being inclined to form a chute having an outlet at one sideof said frame, a hinged gate mounted in said outlet and arranged to forma continuation of said chute, means for shifting said gate into and outof position to close said outlet and a follower slidably arranged insaid chute and connected to said gate so as to be actuated by said gatethrough the operation of said means.

5. A device of the class described comprising a chute, a hinged gatemounted in the outlet of said chute, and a follower slidably arranged insaid chute and connected to said gate so as to be actuated thereby.

6. A device of the class described comprising a chute having an outletat one end thereof, a hinged gate mounted in said out let and arrangedto form a continuation of said chute, a second chute arranged Withinsaid first mentioned chute to form a follower, and a link connectingsaid follower and gate.

Signed at Chicago this 18th day of Feb mar 1921.

y HARRY D. BARTLETT.

